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Family Planning Freedom Is Prolife: Ten Good Reasons Why presented by

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Our Definition of “Prolife” Respect in deed that: Encompasses both the lives of women and children, as well as men’s lives. Covers all phases of the life cycle – before, during, and ever after birth, starting at conception but hardly ending there. Is grounded in universal human rights and nonviolence towards all. Can be practiced by people of all religions and no religion.

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Ten Good Reasons Why Family Planning Freedom Is Prolife 1.It prevents millions of maternal and child deaths every year. 2.It measurably reduces abortion rates. 3.It is a critical solution to the overlapping injustices of violence against women and abortion. 4.Contraceptives truly prevent rather than take lives. 5.Contraception can be and is widely practiced without a “contraceptive mentality.”

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Ten Good Reasons Why Family Planning Freedom Is Prolife 6.Some contraceptives help prevent HIV/AIDS. 7.Most abortion opponents favor contraception. 8.Family planning freedom is a recognized universal human right, one that encompasses all prevention methods… 9.…and includes the freedom to bear a child. 10.Contraception secures the sexual/reproductive and life rights of people with disabilities.

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Only one known kind of exception to “contraception reduces abortion”: Problem: When the desire/need for smaller families outstrips the availability of family planning. Solution: A planned scaleup of services that stays ahead of growing demand. In other words, the solution is more, not less, contraceptive access. (Family Health International: “Increasing Contraception Reduces Abortions,” http://www.fhi.org/en/RH/Pubs/Network/v21_4/NWvol21-4abortcontception.htm) http://www.fhi.org/en/RH/Pubs/Network/v21_4/NWvol21-4abortcontception.htm

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3. Family Planning Freedom Is a Critical Solution to the Overlapping Injustices of Violence Against Women and Abortion.

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Rates of IPV against women who have abortions as high as 39.4%. Especially high among women who have had more than one abortion. (V. Escribà-Agüir et al., “Violence in the Lives of Women in Italy Who Have an Elective Abortion,” Women’s Health Issues [September/October 2009], http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2756423/ )http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2756423/ Abusive men: 80% more likely than non-abusive to be involved in aborted pregnancies. (J.G. Silverman et al., “Male Perpetration of Intimate Partner Violence and Involvement in Abortions and Abortion-Related Conflict,” American Journal of Public Health [August 2010].)

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Through IPV and reproductive coercion screening, family planning workers can help women: Identify abusive behaviors in their partners. Recognize that women have a right to make their own decisions about family planning. Learn how to protect themselves and their children (unborn & born) from harm. In one pilot study’s screening and harm reduction intervention: 71% reduction in risk of unintended pregnancy among family planning clients. Many clients ended relationships they named as unhealthy or unsafe. (E. Miller et al., “Pregnancy Coercion, Intimate Partner Violence and Unintended Pregnancy,” Contraception [April 2010], http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2896047/ ; E. Miller et al., “A Family Planning Clinic Partner Violence Intervention to Reduce Risk Associated With Reproductive Coercion,” Contraception [March 2011], prepublication version available at http://www.thenationalcampaign.org/policymakers/pdf/reproductive_coercion.pdf ).

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Combined estrogen-progestin and progestin-only hormonal contraceptives Include “the pill,” various injectables, implants, patches and rings. All highly effectively both hinder ovulation and thicken cervical mucus, so that sperm cannot pass through. No evidence to date that any of these hinder implantation. (World Health Organization: “Expert Opinion on House Bill 4643 on Abortive Substances and Devices in the Philippines,” 7 November 2006, http://www.likhaan.org/sites/default/files/pdf/expert_opinion_on_house_bill_4643_on_abortive_substances_and_devices_i n_the_philippines_7nov06.pdf) http://www.likhaan.org/sites/default/files/pdf/expert_opinion_on_house_bill_4643_on_abortive_substances_and_devices_i n_the_philippines_7nov06.pdf

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Emergency Contraception: Levonorgestrel-only or Plan B type Recommended by the World Health Organization. Can be used up to 72 hours after unprotected intercourse. Definitely prevents or delays ovulation. Possibly also hinders sperm function and transport. Direct experimental evidence shows: no mechanism for interfering with implantation. Will not harm already conceived prenatal life. Can help victims of sexual assault and contraceptive sabotage and other women prevent unintended pregnancies and abortions. (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics/FIGO and the International Consortium on Emergency Contraception: “Mechanism of Action-March 2011,” http://www.cecinfo.org/publications/PDFs/policy/MOA_ENG_2011.pdf;http://www.cecinfo.org/publications/PDFs/policy/MOA_ENG_2011.pdf World Health Organization: “Emergency Contraception Fact Sheet,” http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs244/en/ )http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs244/en/

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Emergency Contraception: Ulipristal or ella/ellaone type Can be used up to 120 hours after unprotected intercourse. Suppresses ovulation if taken near beginning of fertile window. If taken closer to time of ovulation, inhibits follicular rupture, thus delaying ovulation. Available evidence: No post-fertilization effect found at the dosage used for EC, although more study is needed. Caution: Should not be taken by women who have already conceived. Pregnancy is tested for before administration, but may be undetected. Safety for the baby in this circumstance has not been evaluated. (AF Glasier et al., “Ulipristal Acetate Versus Levonorgestrel for Emergency Contraception,” Lancet [13 February 2010], http://ec.princeton.edu/news/Glasier%202010%20-%20UPA.pdf; K. Gemzell-Danielsson et al., “Emergency Contraception: Potential Role of Ulipristal Acetate,” Int ernational Journal of Women’s Health [2010], http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2971744/ ).

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5. Contraception Can Be and Is Widely Practiced Without a “Contraceptive Mentality.”

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“Contraceptive Mentality” Opponents of contraception claim it increases abortions because: Its users allegedly have an “anti-child mindset”; Feel entitled not to have children; And thus will have abortions if their contraceptives do not prevent pregnancies as intended. (See, for example, http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/272017/a-contraceptive-mentality and http://thatmarriedcouple.blogspot.com/2010/02/what-is-contraceptive-mentality.html ) This does not explain a substantial number of pregnancy outcomes!

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Counterevidence from the US: About 49% – just over 3 million – pregnancies per year are unintended. About 1.49 million of those pregnancies happened to birth control users. Over 790,000 – 53% – of those pregnancies did not end in abortion. (LB Finer et al., “Disparities in Rates of Unintended Pregnancy In the United States, 1994 and 2001,” New York: The Alan Guttmacher Institute [2006], http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/psrh/full/3809006.pdf ; RK Jones et al., “Contraceptive Use Among U.S. Women Having Abortions in 2000-2001,” Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health [2002], http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/3429402.html ).

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Every day in the United States: More than 2100 women choose life for children they conceived despite their use of “artificial” family planning. How many more would if people who express respect for unborn lives also respected the lives, needs, and freedoms of people who choose to use contraceptives?

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Male condoms especially have prevented millions of new infections: In countries as different from one another as Brazil, Uganda, Thailand and the Netherlands. Including infections of pregnant women and their unborn babies. Pregnant women who are HIV-positive may face strong pressures towards abortion or grave illness and premature death from the virus itself. (UNAIDS: “Condoms and HIV Prevention,” http://www.unaids.org/en/media/unaids/contentassets/dataimport/pub/basedocument/2009/20090318_position_p aper_condoms_en.pdf http://www.unaids.org/en/media/unaids/contentassets/dataimport/pub/basedocument/2009/20090318_position_p aper_condoms_en.pdf “Family Planning: A Global Handbook for Providers, Chapter 21,” http://www.fphandbook.org/.)http://www.fphandbook.org/

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Polling data from US (the nation with one of the world’s most polarized abortion debates): 80% of self-identified prolifers support women’s right of access to contraception. 77% support Title X, the publicly-funded family planning program for low-income Americans. (National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association [US]: “Family Planning Facts: Poll Finds Support for Access to Contraception,” http://www.nfprha.org/main/family_planning.cfm?Category=Public_Support&Section=Access_Poll )http://www.nfprha.org/main/family_planning.cfm?Category=Public_Support&Section=Access_Poll

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8. Family Planning Freedom Is a Universal Human Right - One Encompassing All Prevention Methods.

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Since 1968, family planning freedom has been a right affirmed by over 35 crucial documents of the universal human rights movement, including: Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW, 1979). Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989). Forced population control challenging Cairo International Conference on Population and Development (1994). ( International Conference on Family Planning, 15-18 November 2009, “Kampala, Uganda: Reaffirmation of Global Family Planning Commitments” http://www.fpconference2009.org/167401.html )http://www.fpconference2009.org/167401.html

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As stated in universal human rights documents, family planning freedom: Protects against coercion to use or not use certain method(s). Protects both people with religious beliefs that restrict them to certain methods, like abstinence or natural family planning, and those whose beliefs include the full range of conception prevention techniques. (International Conference on Family Planning, 15-18 November 2009, “Kampala, Uganda: Reaffirmation of Global Family Planning Commitments” http://www.fpconference2009.org/167401.html )http://www.fpconference2009.org/167401.html

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9. Family Planning Freedom Is a Universal Human Right – One That Includes the Freedom to Bear a Child.

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Logic of family planning freedom – everyone has the right to choose for themselves whether/when to seek conception – also applies to people who want to bear children. In a society that respected family planning freedom-coerced sterilization, other forced contraception, and abortion would be recognized as the human rights violations they are.

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10. Contraceptive Freedom Secures Sexual and Reproductive Rights of People with Disabilities.

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Sexual and Reproductive Rights of People with Disabilities Disability rights slogan: ”Nothing About Us, Without Us.” o People with disabilities (PWDs) have long fought for their right to make their own decisions regarding their lives. VOLUNTARY contraception, NOT eugenics. VOLUNTARY seeking of parenthood, NOT “mandatory motherhood.”

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People with disabilities have the same human rights as all other humans: o Including life and sexual/reproductive rights. o Including right to voluntary family planning (= seeking out or avoiding conception as one chooses). Women with disabilities face “double discrimination.” ( Articles 6, 10 & 23, United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities, http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=283 ) http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=283

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Coercive restriction to abstinence or NFP/FAM interferes with PWDs’ life and sexual/reproductive rights because: Such coercion violates anybody’s human rights. Pregnancy can be risky, even life-threatening, for some women with disabilities, and for any children they might conceive. NFP/FAM is ineffective and medically inadvisable for women with certain medical conditions or medications. Enforced lifelong abstinence: o Interferes with personal development & healthy relationships, including marriage. o Reinforces stereotypes of PWDs as either asexual or possessed of monstrous, rapacious sexuality that needs to be forcibly curbed – the same prejudice that leads to sterilization abuse and pressures to abort upon PWDs. (“Family Planning: A Global Handbook for Providers,” Chapter 17: Fertility Awareness Methods, http://www.fphandbook.org/)http://www.fphandbook.org/

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A Frequently Asked Question Q: But don’t you know that no family planning method is 100% effective? A: Yes. And this is not a reason to: Take prenatal lives. Leave people in the dark about contraceptives, or deny access and funding. Scare anyone out of having sex at all or using any methods other than NFP/FAM.

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This IS a reason to: Better teach correct and consistent use of existing methods, most of which can have very high effectiveness rates. Foster nonviolent, equal relationships. Challenge the heterosexist belief that only penis- vagina sex counts as “real sex.” Wholly support—before, during, and ever after birth—all people, born and unborn, involved in unintended pregnancies. Research new and better means of prevention.